NGT orders Rajasthan Government to pay ₹3,000 crore compensation for improper waste management

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday directed the State of Rajasthan to pay ₹3,000 crores as environmental compensation for improper management of solid and liquid waste [In re: Compliance of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and other environmental issue]..A bench comprising chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Prof Senthil Vel held that the compensation under Section 15 of the NGT Act was necessary to remedy the continuing damage to the environment caused due to the shortcomings in waste management."Moreover, without fixing quantified liability necessary for restoration, mere passing of orders has not shown any tangible results in the last eight years... Continuing damage is required to be prevented in future and past damage is to be restored", the order recorded. .The order was passed pursuant to the Supreme Court's directions in the cases of Almitra H Patel v Union of India and Paryavaran Suraksha v Union of India requiring the tribunal to monitor enforcement of solid and liquid waste management norms."Award of above compensation has become necessary under section 15 of the NGT Act to remedy the continuing damage to the environment and to comply with directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court requiring this Tribunal to monitor enforcement of norms for solid and liquid waste management.".The NGT determined the compensation in respect of gap in treatment of liquid waste to be about ₹2,500 crores and in respect of solid waste to be around ₹555 crores. It rounded the amount off to ₹3,000 crores and directed the State to deposit the same in a separate ring-fenced account to be operated as per directions of Chief Secretary and utilised for restoration measures..The restoration measures for sewage management would include establishing sewage treatment and utilisation systems, upgrading systems and operations to ensure full capacity utilisation, ensuring compliance with standards, including those for fecal coliform, and establishing proper fecal sewage and sludge management in rural areas..In terms of solid waste management, the action plan involves the establishment of required waste processing units as well as the rehabilitation of 161 sites that have been overlooked.The tribunal further said that the bioremediation or bio-mining process must be carried out in accordance with CPCB guidelines, and the stabilised organic waste from biomining as well as compost plants must meet laid down specifications..Stating that the restoration plans must be executed in a time bound manner, the tribunal cautioned that if violations continued, additional compensation may be considered against the State."Both the above restoration plans need to be executed at the earliest simultaneously in all districts/cities/ towns/ villages in a time bound manner without further delay. If violations continue, liability to pay additional compensation may have to be considered," the tribunal said..In a hearing of the same case last week, the Government of Maharashtra was also penalised by the tribunal for improper management of solid and liquid waste in the State..[Read Order]